Makes You Stronger
by Kate Beckett's Golden Snitch
Summary: When the Dark Forces return, Ron is forced to send Hermione and their children away. He promised to find them, even though everything is dark. But will there be a light at the end of the tunnel,will could it go on forever?  Post DH, Pre Epilogue. Rated T just to be safe.


AN: YAY A HARRY POTTER FANFICTION! This one takes place post Deathly Hallows, pre-epilogue. A lot of stuff had to be fit into this first one to set up the story, and it's not very good yet. Sorry! It'll get better!

Rose had her head in her lap, breathing as softly as a hummingbird. Her eyes had long since fluttered shut, and Hermione had continued stroking her hair soothingly. Her hand caressed the crown of her daughters head, smoothing the girl's somewhat unruly red hair. Rose's face was an almost exact replica of hers, albeit the galaxy of freckles scattered across her face. She was a remarkably bright girl for her five years of age, and she would beg Hermione to read her story after story, even when she was barely old enough to crawl.

"Hermione?" She looked up to see him leaning against the doorframe, his lips curling upwards in a smile. Shifting Rose onto her bed, she placed a tender kiss on her daughter's forehead and moved towards the door.

"Is Hugo asleep?" Ron nodded, putting an arm around her and pulling her close.

"He's down like a rock. Hardly had to calm him down." The fondness in his voice couldn't be more pronounced, and it made Hermione smile. Ron had become such an incredible father. "Maybe we got lucky and only Rosie got my stubbornness."

"I think we're pretty lucky, either way." She looked up at him, and he pressed his lips to hers in a sweet, gentle kiss.

"True." He murmured, absently wrapping a piece of Hermione's hair around his finger. "Let's go to bed. I bloody well know I need some sleep."

"Me too." Her reply was soft, and they began to walk, in unison, to their bedroom.

She jolted awake, the screech of an owl echoing in her ears. The soft, barely-there light coming from the window told her it was early, too early in the morning, and she groaned quietly.

"For Merlin's sake, Pig." She murmured, climbing out of the bed and moving to where the tiny owl was usually perched. But the bird was nearer to the window, and upon closer observation, pecking at it in between the loud noises it was emitting. A larger, dark owl was flying in the dimly lit sky. Harry's owl.

But Harry would never send anything this early. Unless it was something urgent.

She opened the window quickly, and the owl flew in almost automatically. Her hands fumbled slightly as she untied the scrap of paper attached to it's leg, and she almost ripped it in her haste to read. And what she read made her blood run cold.

_They're coming. Take the kids and leave. Go as far away as possible. Send Ron to me._

_-Harry_

"Ron!" The shrill cry escaped her lips before she could stop it, and she clamped a hand over her mouth. He sat up suddenly, looking around before noticing his wife at the windowsill, her face drowning in a look of terror. Immediately he was at her side, reading the letter. His face grew grave, and he pulled it from her, moving towards the cabinet nearest to his side of the bed.

"Go get things for them. Food, clothes, as much as you can grab. Use the bottomless bag or whatever that thing was. Hurry." She didn't hesitate, grabbing her wand from her bedside table as she ran. Her small beaded bag was pulled from the closet, and she ran to the pantry, throwing in anything she could put her hands on. Even that was a challenge. Her hands were shaking so badly that she dropped a can of peas three times before finally getting it into the bag.

Sprinting to Rose's room, she uttered a high pitched "Lumos!" and had made her way to the closet once light had fallen across the room. It was the one time she was thankful for Ron's idea of putting both of their children's clothes in one place. Once she had thrown the multiple clothing items in, she turned to her daughter, who was sitting in bed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. She felt her knees crack as she knelt down beside the bed.

"Come on, Rosie, we've got to go somewhere." The bleary eyed girl yawned, and leaned to clutch tightly to her mother's shirt sleeve. Wasting no time, Hermione scooped her up, grunting slightly as she felt the weight of the five year old completely transferred to her arm.

Hugo was crying when she entered his room. She pulled him out of his crib, kissed his cheek quickly, and transferred him to the available crook of her arm. Then, even with the extra weight of the two, she ran down the hall and into her bedroom. Ron was completely dressed, Auror gear on. He saw Hermione and, in two wide strides, was at her side and was holding her shoulders.

"Mione, you've got to take them somewhere completely safe. No where magic, it's too dangerous. I'll find you when it's safe. Promise." And his lips moved to hers. Unlike the earlier kiss, which had been so passionate and soft, this one was full of raw emotion. She could feel hot tears beginning to pour down her cheeks. This was what they had most feared. A comeback. A hunt. And there was a very good chance that Ron, or her, or Harry or Ginny or Rose or Hugo or anyone else could die.

He broke away, and suddenly they could hear footsteps coming from the roof above.

"They're coming. You've got to go." His voice began to break. "I love you so much, Hermione. I'll find you, I promise."

"I love you, too." She whispered, and shrine she disapparated, and everything was gone.

AN: NO THE DARK FORCES CAN'T BE BACK?! Please leave a review, they make my day so much brighter. Let me know who you thought, and if you have any ideas for the story!

xoxo,

J


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